Red Velvet Pancakes can make an ordinary breakfast feel extraordinary. Their aroma fills the entire kitchen from the moment they hit the skillet! And yes… they taste exactly like red velvet cake, especially when the creamy frosting melts into the warm pancakes! 

Whether it’s for a birthday cake or a weekend dessert we love red velvet recipes like Red Velvet Cake, Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies, Red Velvet Crepes, and Red Velvet Hot Chocolate!

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A stack of red velvet pancakes with the first bite on a fork

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Red Velvet Pancakes

Pancakes are a classic family breakfast. This red velvet pancake recipe is so delicious and fluffy, especially when they are served with homemade cream cheese topping!

I love to get the family together for a special breakfast. Whether you’re making these pancakes into heart shapes for someone special or making a batch just because you’re craving pancakes, there’s just something extraordinary about red velvet pancakes. 

Pancakes never fail to please. I love how simple and straightforward this rich, sweet pancake recipe is, you’ll be looking for reasons to make them every weekend. 

I could eat red velvet pancakes all the time, but we love to save them for special occasions. Make it a family tradition to serve them for Valentine’s Day, Christmas Breakfast, birthdays, or an anniversary for a delicious breakfast treat.

a cut stack of pancakes

What Is Red Velvet

Red velvet confections are made with cocoa powder, vinegar and buttermilk. The chemical reaction between these ingredients can give the cake a deep maroon color. Today, chocolate often undergoes Dutch processing, which prevents the color change, so red velvet treats are often enhanced by food coloring.

Most classic red velvet cake recipes use very little cocoa powder compared to flour, so the chocolate flavor is very subtle.

Just like the traditional red velvet cake recipe, these red velvet pancakes have baking sodavinegar, and buttermilk to achieve a light fluffy texture. Don’t worry, you only add a very small amount of vinegar (just enough to react with the baking soda). Red velvet has a slight tang from the buttermilk and vinegar as well as the cream cheese topping, but the pancakes do not taste like vinegar!

a fork going into a big stack of red pancakes

How To Make The Best Red Velvet Pancakes

Today, we are going to show you how to make red velvet pancakes so that you can share them with your family too. 

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

Before you start making the pancakes, you’ll want to whip up the delicious cream cheese topping. Using an electric mixer, beat some cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until it’s smooth.

 Once the mixture is smooth, add a little cream and continue to beat it until the mixture thickens. This step should only take about 2 minutes. Set the topping aside when you’re finished, or refrigerate it if you’re not using it right away, that way it stays fresh.

Now, mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together thoroughly and set the bowl aside. 

In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.

Next, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Add in the melted butter and fold gently to mix, lumps are ok. Do not overmix, or your pancakes will be chewy instead of fluffy.

a stack of six red velvet pancakes

Time to cook the pancakes! Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat or to 320°F, and add 1 tablespoon butter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet or griddle and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until cooked through.

Keep your pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while you finish making all of the pancakes.

Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding extra butter as needed, until all pancakes are cooked.

Serve red velvet pancakes with sweet cream cheese topping and maple syrup.

a stack of red velvet pancakes with fruit on and around the stack

Red Velvet Pancake Tips

Follow our tips when making your red velvet pancakes and they’ll turn out wonderfully!

  • Do not overmix the batter. The pancake batter should be slightly lumpy. 
  • Grease the spatula, you wouldn’t think it makes a difference, but it will make flipping the pancakes so much easier!
  • If you flip the pancake before the bubbles begin to form, you’ll more than likely ruin the shape of the pancake! Patience is key with this step. However, the first pancake usually takes the longest to cook. 
  • Pancakes are usually cooked in small batches. Heat the oven to 175-200° F to keep pancakes warm while cooking the rest of the batch. Have a sheet pan or oven-safe plate ready and keep adding pancakes to the oven as you go.
  • Do not skip the cream cheese topping, it’s what puts these pancakes over the edge! You can, however, skip the maple syrup if it’s too much sweetness for you. Personally, I like to have syrup on my pancakes.
  • For an easy morning, mix the dry ingredients and make topping the night before. Cover and place pancake mix on a counter and place the topping in the refrigerator. The next morning, remove the topping so it can become room temperature, and just add the wet ingredients to the pancake mix, cook, and serve!
  • Feel free to change up the food coloring for different color pancakes.

a bite of pancakes on a fork with syrup dripping off

Storage And Variations

How long will these red velvet pancakes stay fresh? In an airtight container in the fridge, these delicious pancakes will stay fresh for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds or less! They hold up fantastically in the microwave, making this recipe a gift that just keeps on giving. 

Can they be frozen? They sure can! Freezing pancakes is really simple! Stack the cooled pancakes with a square of wax paper in between each pancake. This method makes it so the pancakes won’t stick together. Then just place them in a zip-top bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 5 months. You can also separate the stacks into portion side for easy access.

The best part? You don’t even need to let them thaw before reheating them if you don’t have the time. While you can let them thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as previously mentioned, you can also pop them right in the microwave! Just double the reheating time from 30 to 60 seconds. 

heart shaped red velvet cupcakes

I think you’ll agree adding a little extra love to pancakes never hurt anyone.

Variations 

  • If you wish to make heart pancakes, use a heart-shaped pancake mold or metal cookie cutter. Be sure to grease inside of the mold and fill 1/2 way with pancake batter. Remove mold when ready to flip.
  • More often than not, I toss some semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter. I mean, who doesn’t love chocolate chip pancakes, especially when they’re rich red velvet!
  • Fresh berries are quite delicious on top of these pancakes. I especially love adding blueberries, freshly cut strawberries, or sweet raspberries on top of mine!
  • When serving these pancakes, I always offer maple syrup and chocolate syrup on the table, alongside the cream cheese topping. It’s the best of both worlds!

red velvet pancakes with the first bite on a fork

Need more sweet Breakfast Recipes To Start Your Day? 

The Best Pumpkin Pancakes – Made with buttermilk and packed full of pumpkin spice flavors these pancakes are light and fluffy inside with a crispy outside!  Stacked high with butter and maple syrup they are the perfect fall breakfast.

Apple Pie Crepes – Apple Crepes are the perfect addition to your fall recipe list. Thin French pancakes filled with a gooey caramel apple compote and toasted cinnamon pecans make for an amazing combo for breakfast or dessert. 

Overnight French Toast Casserole – This quick and easy French Toast Casserole can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight so it’s ready to bake and enjoy in the morning. An overnight french toast bake with praline topping is perfect for a crowd or any holiday morning.

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits – There’s nothing better than a warm, fresh-baked Cinnamon Raisin Biscuit topped with sweet, melty vanilla icing for breakfast. These drop biscuits are a simple, quick and easy biscuit recipe that comes together in about 22 minutes!

Like This Red Velvet Pancake Recipe? Pin It!

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red velvet pancakes with a bit cut out

Whip up a sweet batch of these red velvet pancakes today, and you’ll fall in love with this easy recipe!

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Originally shared January 2014. UPDATED January 2021. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.

A stack of red velvet pancakes with the first bite on a fork

Red Velvet Pancakes

Yield: 16 small pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes

RED VELVET PANCAKES can make an ordinary breakfast feel extraordinary. Make this delicious pancake recipe for your sweetie or favorite person! Perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, birthdays, or an anniversary for a delicious breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Red Velvet Pancakes

  • 1½ cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons regular unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cup buttermilk (or make your own buttermilk )
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Cream Cheese Topping

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • butter or cooking spray to grease griddle

For Toppings (optional)

  • chopped chocolate
  • fresh strawberries and blueberries
  • fresh mint
  • powdered sugar
  • maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Prepare cream cheese topping. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the cream and continue to beat until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes and. Set aside or refrigerate if not using right away.
  2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine until all lumps are gone and set bowl asaid
  3. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Add in the melted butter and fold gently to mix, lumps are ok. Do not overmix , or your pancakes will be chewy instead of fluffy.
  4. Heat a griddle over medium heat or to 320°F , and add 1 tablespoon butter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet or griddle and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until cooked through.
  5. Transfer hot pancakes to baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve.
  6. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding extra butter as needed, until all pancakes are cooked.
  7. Serve with sweet cream cheese topping or powdered sugar, fresh berries, chopped chocolate, a sprig of mint, and maple syrup. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

if you wish to make heart pancakes, use a heart-shaped pancake mold or metal cookie cutter. Be sure to grease inside of the mold and fill 1/2 way with pancake batter. Remove mold when ready to flip.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 2 pancakes
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 279mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.

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a stack of red pancakes with a form stabbing in them